Evo Weyr
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: Dragons are no longer needed on Pern, so a rogue group of riders decide to try and return to the land of their ancestors: Earth. Meanwhile, the Evo threat is rising as more and more nanites are becoming activated. Does hope rest with the Dragonriders?
1. Chapter 1

***stares down at the ground* I know I shouldn't be doing this... Trust me, I know! I know I should finish the X number of incomplete chapter fics I got up before I even THINK about writing a crossover... I know that! Believe me! But I got midterms this week...the SAT this Saturday...I've been obsessing over this idea all day... Whatever. I'm typing it! I mentioned this idea in my Announcement to my Readers. Basically, it's a combination of Generator Rex and Dragonriders of Pern. Now, the plot basis is different than what I said it would be in my Announcement. Instead of Rex and the others going to Pern, some dragons and riders of Pern are coming to Earth. Now, for my fellow Pern junkies, this takes place during what would have been the Tenth Pass if it wasn't for AIVAS. That means there's NOT a Pass, it's just that time period. Everyone else, if you had no clue what I just said, don't worry. All will be explained over time. I own my riders and dragons. Anne and Todd McCaffrey own Pern and Man Of Action owns GR. Enjoy!**

"Are you sure that Indath can do this, L'ram?" A pair of hazel eyes flashed uncertainly in the light of the rising sun. "I mean...I know that Stella was able to get there and back without any problems, but-" She was cut off as a gentle finger touched her lips.

"Hush, my love. If Stella was able to do it, so can Indath. Not only has she made the jump many times, but she even laid her latest clutch in the hot sands of the area. If that isn't enough proof for you, I don't know what is!" He reached up to stroke the gold fire-lizard on his shoulder. Stella chirruped appreciatively. "If it makes you feel better, I'll send her there and back once more before I leave. It's really no trouble at all. The picture I was able to print from what's left of AIVAS is more than enough of a reference."

"I know, but-"

"Krya." L'ram spoke firmly, cutting off his mate's protests. "We can do this."

_He is right, you know. Indath is fully capable of making the leap, as am I._

Krya turned to smile at the large, golden dragon who sat a few yards away. As her eyes met with those luminous, blue-green orbs, she felt her anxiety melt away. 'Thank you, Serenth.' She thought back, sending a warm wave of love back toward her dragon. "Alright, L'ram. Send her one more time and then you can go."

"Oh, I see how it is!" L'ram said in a voice of mock indignation. "You'll listen to Serenth, but not me!"

"That's right!" Krya laughed and gave L'ram a kiss on the cheek. "Now, you'd better get going before I change my mind!"

"Yes, 'your Highness'." L'ram rolled his eyes and held out his arm. Little Stella gazed attentively at him for a moment before leaping into the sky with a _crack_. After a few minutes, she reappeared from her journey _between_ with another crack and a proud chirp. "Our turn, Indath!" He called over to Serenth's smaller, bronze counterpart.

_Finally..._

The dragon's voice was disgruntled and impatient, but understanding of Krya's need for reassurance. L'ram patted his gleaming hide affectionately as he settled himself in his saddle. With a wave toward his mate, L'ram closed his eyes. He brought the photo that he had memorized flawlessly to the front of his mind.

A high, lonely hill...

A burning sun that is shrouded by only a few meager clouds...

A tall, pure white building...

He opened his mind so that Indath would see the picture as clearly as he saw it. He felt the bronze beast leap up into the air. With a few powerful pumps of wing and another crack, L'ram and Indath were transported to the cold of _between_, ready to reappear at their new destination...

In the time it takes a person to cough thrice...

…...

"How's your arm feeling, Rex?" Noah asked as Rex came to a halt in front of the Providence building. "You seemed to be wincing a bit when we were playing basketball."

"It's fine." Rex flexed his shoulder nonchalantly. "I just twisted it while killing those crazy Evo hamsters the other day."

Noah's eyes widened with disbelief. "Hamsters? Seriously?"

"Hey, don't laugh till you need to fight one of them!" Rex muttered, stooping down to pick up a rock. "They're nastier than normal hamsters!" He started to throw the stone, then stopped. "Hey, cool! Check this out, Noah!" He held out the rock.

Noah took a step forward to examine it. It wasn't the normal color of sandstone or limestone, which was most commonly found around the Providence building, but mottled green, brown, blue, and bronze. "Sweet. Looks kinda like a marbled Easter egg."

"Yeah." Rex shoved the rock into his pocket before turning back toward the door. "Say,wanna go upstairs and watch some TV? I taped the new NCIS episode."

"Sounds good!"

Sadly, their television reruns had to wait: Six's voice blared on Rex's intercom. "Rex! Report to airship number 7, now!"

"Kay..." Casting an apologetic glance at Noah, Rex ran toward where the airships were docked.

As the ship began to take off, Rex slumped back in his seat. "One day...is it too much to ask for me to have one day free?"

"This job knows no schedule." Six muttered as he polished his katanas for the upcoming battle. "Did you listen to the briefing on what we're fighting?"

"Yeah...wasn't it some giant deer?"

Six breathed an exasperated sigh. "It's a firebreathing amphibian, Rex! It can swim and breathe underwater, but shoot fire when on land." No reply. "So you'd better get your head on straight."

"Yeah, yeah..." Rex murmured, staring out the window. "I just think that-WHOA!" He stood up and stared down below him. "That thing is Ug-ly!"

Below them was a weird combination between a frog and a salamander, with expired-looking gray skin, sickly yellow eyes, giant green claws, and some very nasty pink-colored warts dotting its hide. It opened its mouth and belched out a surplus of fire.

"Lovely..." Rex sighed as he turned and jumped out of the doors, morphing his Boogie Pack. "Here, froggy froggy froggy!" He called as he swooped down, propellers grazing one of the warts and releasing a wave of foul-smelling ooze. "Ugh! Someone needs a dip in the pool!" Rex taunted as the thing snapped at empty air, howling in pain. Another release of noxious fumes told him that Six was busy stabbing away. 'Okay, froggy...let's see what we can do...' He pressed his hands to the thing's slimy hide and closed his eyes, concentrating. 'C'mon, nanites...' He could feel the frog's nanites. He tried to take them in...but couldn't!

"Not curable, huh?" He muttered, narrowly dodging the creature's tongue. "Well, I hate to do this to you, but..." He shot forward and landed on the frog's back. He morphed his arm into the BFS and stabbed down.

The good news? The blade hit home. The bad news? It only made Mr. Frog angry. With a wild bellow, the Evo threw Rex off, smacking him into the pavement. Hard.

"Ow..." Rex could feel searing heat above him. The creature just blew a gust of flame over him. He blinked blearily. It was taking aim again... It was...

Suddenly, Rex was in a cage. At least, that was his first thought. When the cave wrapped around him and lifted him up off of the ground, he realized that it was a hand, a very big hand! With a thick, bronze colored hide...and claws... He felt heat in the air, but it wasn't from the frog this time. It was from the thing that had just picked him up. The amphibian Evo roared in protest, just as another pair of claws flashed forward and came into contact with those bulging yellow eyes. Rex watched, half unconscious, as the beast fell to the ground with a loud thud.

The ground slowly rose to meet him. He was placed gently in a patch of grass just as his vision went black.

…...

"Rex? Rex?" A soft, gentle voice whispered in his ear. "Come on, Rex. Wake up."

"Holiday...?" Rex opened one eye and flinched at the brightness of the room he was in. "What happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know." He felt Holiday pulling another warm blanket over him. "Six tells me that a giant flying Evo saved you and killed your opponent before vanishing. Do you remember anything?"

"Not really...just that I got picked up...and...Ugh..." Rex's head sank back into his pillow. "How bad am I?"

"Just a little bruised. Once the medicine I gave you wears off, you'll be just fine."

"Will I be okay for dinner? It's Friday night. Remember?"

"I remember." Holiday brushed some stray black locks out of his face and smiled. "We got the meatloaf all ready for whenever you come down."

"Kay...you guys can go ahead and start. I'll be down in a minute..."

"Alright." Holiday paused and picked up the multicolored stone she had found in his pocket. "Say, Rex? Is it okay if I take a look at this?"

"Sure."

Holiday went back into the office, where Bobo was tapping his fork on his plate impatiently. "He'll be down in a few minutes." She reassured him. "He said to go ahead and start."

Six reached for the meatloaf and cut himself a slice, staring off into space. He couldn't stop thinking about that creature that had saved Rex. It hadn't been an ordinary Evo... There was something about it that was more intelligent and sane. Not only that, but he had seen a figure riding on the creature's back...a person with long black hair... 'It could have been Van Kleiss...though he has no more reason to want Rex around...at least... And how did it disappear into thin air like that?'

"Whoa, green bean! Save some for the rest of us!" Bobo called over.

'Huh?' Six looked down. He had been mechanically cutting meat while thinking. As a result, about a quarter of a loaf sat on his plate. Wordlessly, he passed the plate to Bobo.

"Perfect!" Bobo grinned appreciatively as he dug the knife into the beef. "Hey, whatcha got there Doc?"

"Just a stone." Holiday turned the marbled item over and over in her hands. "A really pretty stone... It was in Rex's pocket. I just can't figure out what it is. It's so light. It's almost as if-"

CRACK!

Everyone at the table froze and Holiday dropped the rock. A large crack had just shot across its colorful surface.

"Eh...not to point out the obvious...but I don't think that's a rock!" Bobo muttered, backing away from the table.

CRACK!

A bit of shell fell off of what they now knew to be an egg, revealing a tiny reptilian snout...

**I don't want you Pern people out there to nitpick at the details! I can't remember what color the eggs are meant to be, so I'm just going to make it that the normal eggs are mottled and the queen eggs are larger and gold colored. If you're here for Rex and are not a Pern fan, you probably couldn't care less! LOL! Now, if anything confuses you, ask. I'll either explain in a reply, or I'll tell you that your question will be answered later. I really want to keep going with this, so please review and be gentle with the flames! All flames will cost you a sack of firestone. Peace out! ^_^**


	2. Chapter 2

**One review... Ah well... I'm gonna continue with this anyway! It's just too awesome of an idea! I don't want to type a big summary so, enjoy! ^_^**

CRACK

The tiny creature nudged once more at the shell from the inside. More cracks spiderwebbed across the egg, crisscrossing and overlapping. Bobo was hiding behind his chair. Holiday was staring intently at the shaking object. Six didn't move. His hand was flexing ever so slightly, ready to draw a katana if necessary.

The egg twitched and rolled slightly as more of the little animal emerged, moving closer to Six. Six frowned and leaned forward. 'It's some kind of lizard...Is it some midget Evo snake or something?' The shell fell away completely and Six's eyes widened with astonishment.

It was a lizard...with wings! Creeling loudly, the tiny green creature looked like a pocket-sized dragon! Its eyes flashed red and it hissed, sniffing the air. It turned its head toward Six's plate.

_Her_ head...

Six's brows furrowed as he felt an odd sensation go through his mind. It was a faint impulse, surrounded with bright colors: a pale yellow shot together with a fiery red... She was hungry. Six felt a slight pain in his stomach. Make that _very_ hungry! Without taking his eyes from the little...dragon, Six cut a small bit of meat from his uneaten loaf and tossed it onto the table in front of her. She didn't even hesitate to gulp it down. Six felt a warm, approving lavender color wash over his mind, combined with that commanding red color. She wanted more.

Methodically, Six cut up bits of meat and tossed it toward the little creature. She ate each piece faster than the last. Subconsciously, each sliver of beef that Six put in front of the hungry reptile ended up being closer to Six than the last one. At one point, the creature stopped pouncing on meat thrown on the table, electing instead to eat right out of Six's outstretched hand. Over time, Six felt a baby blue haze go through his mind. At the same time, the tiny dragon let out a yawn. Her half-closed eyes were now a blue-green color. Crooning happily, she curled up against Six's hand and fell fast asleep.

The entire room was silent. Six raised his head to look at Holiday and Bobo. Neither were speaking. Bobo looked completely stunned, while Holiday was staring at the dragonet with a calculating expression. She raised her eyes to meet Six's shades and smiled.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Six."

As the silence was broken, Bobo recovered from his confusion and grinned. "Yeah, and it even matches your outfit!"

Six shook his head slightly in confusion. "I...don't get what that was..."

Bobo nodded in agreement. "I know, right? Ya usually just chop the heads off stuff. First time I've ever seen ya feed an Evo!"

Six ignored Bobo's slight jab and turned to stare at the green creature. "It's odd...I could _feel_ her hunger."

"How do you know it's a girl?" Holiday walked over and stood next to Six, looking down at the reptile.

"She told me...somehow...the same way she conveyed her hunger..."

"Whoo! Green bean is getting Evo telepathy! Oooooh!" Bobo waved his hands mystically, oblivious to the dry stares he was getting.

"Hm...maybe I should run some tests on her. Perhaps the effect of nanites on unborn creatures has something to do with this..."

Six felt an unexpected wave of protectiveness and quickly shook his head. "I...don't think that's a good idea. There's no telling how she'd react."

The sound of running footsteps was heard outside, right before Rex burst through the door. "Hey guys! Is there any meat left?" He stopped and stared. 'What the...' "Eh...guys? What did I miss?"

…...

"The land is good, there are many hunting grounds, and I even found some hospitable caves." L'ram's face was alight with excitement. "Also, Earth seems to be in need of people like us!" To L'ram, that was the most important factor.

Krya nodded her head slowly, though she was still feeling mildly skeptical. "What exactly would we be needed for?"

"You see, the people there are constantly being attacked by various beasts. Indath has proven himself to be very skilled at subduing them. We saved at least thirty different people and killed six different creatures!" His bottle-blue eyes were glittering.

_I would have done better if we hadn't run out of firestone._ Indath muttered nonchalantly.

'I have no doubts.' L'ram replied, smiling lovingly at his bronze before turning back to Krya. "I think we can start bringing in people. Why don't you have Serenth contact the others?"

"Now, hold on." Krya held up a hand. "We should go about this slowly. I can just imagine what those poor people would think if fifteen dragons suddenly appeared out of thin air."

"I found an isolated place near the caves!" L'ram waved his hand, unconcerned.

Krya put her hands on her hips and fixed her mate with a firm stare. "We're going to do this slowly." She said, her voice stern and final.

L'ram sighed, but didn't protest. "Alright, Weyrwoman. What are your orders?"

"I think you and me should go through first with Wingleaders, R'nan and C'ron. We'll check out the area and then we'll alternate in bringing the others through two at a time."

L'ram nodded his head. "Fair enough."

'Serenth? Could you bespeak Tornath and Nekoth?'

There was a pause. Then, there was a crack as two dragons, one brown and one bronze, appeared from _between_. Their riders waited patiently while their Weyrleaders mounted their dragons. At L'ram's signal, the four dragons took to the sky and vanished from the face of Pern.

…...

"Man..." Rex grumbled. "Of course this happened while I was in bed..." He touched a finger to the tiny green dragon's head. "Any clue what type of Evo this thing is?"

"Not one I've ever seen." Holiday replied, staring down at the creature.

"So, what's its name?" Rex asked Six as he stood up straight again.

"Her." Six found himself correcting Rex.

Rex allowed a slightly amused grin to come to his face. "Okay, what's _her_ name?"

"I wasn't planning on..."

"Aw! Come on, Six! She's gotta have a name!" His eyes widened with excitement. "I know! How 'bout: Trogdor the Burninator?"

Six raised an eyebrow.

"You know...Homestarrunner? Trogdor? The...never mind..."

'Wow...that was a new level of stupidity...' Six turned to look down at his new pet. She stirred a little in her sleep and made a quiet snorting sound. 'Still...I suppose I'll have to call her something...'

At that moment, the reptile's eyes snapped open and she let out an excited creel. Six saw images in his mind, flashing one after the other. He could see trees, a forest, a large mountain with concealed caverns... He saw large beasts that were similar in shape to his small dragon, but much larger. Two of them were a shining bronze color.

'They look like the creature that saved Rex...'

**Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter. Still, quality over quantity as I always say! I feel the need to explain something really quick. _Between_ is an empty, cold, dark dimension that dragons, fire-lizards (aka, Six's new friend), and whers (will be revealed later) go through when teleporting to new places. Hope I get more reviews for this chappie. Solora out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**My computer finally LIVES! I can finally WRITE! I'm very happy. ^_^ This was on hiatus for awhile, but inspiration hit me once more. Hope you like it! We get to see more dragons in this chappie, and everyone needs more dragons in their life.**

Six drummed his fingers thoughtfully on his desk. Out of the corner of his eye, he gazed at the four-inch dragon that was curled up next to his pencil. In order to keep Rex from sticking her with some stupid name like Puff or Mushu, he had finally elected to call her Katana. Absentmindedly, he reached out and stroked the spines on her tiny head. 'What was that image I saw?' He wondered. 'Are there more of these dragon creatures somewhere? Why are they here? Why haven't we heard of them?' He breathed an agitated sigh. 'They aren't Evos. There's something too precise and structured about them. There's no way they were mutated randomly.'

Katana stirred in her sleep before opening her jewel-like eyes. They swirled in various shades of blue and green, which Six understood to mean that she was content. She stretched her fragile wings and crooned softly, moving her head, asking to be stroked under the chin. Six silently obliged.

"What are you?" He murmured aloud. "What are those larger creatures? Where are they?"

To his surprise, Katana responded. In his mind's eye, he saw once more the mountains and caverns from his previous vision. This time, the image stayed in his head. 'I think I know that place.' He thought to himself. 'We've flown over it before. If I could just get a ship, I could easily find my way there.'

"Hey, Six!" Rex walked over and leaned against the desk. "You're even more spacey than usual. Are you doing that freaky mind thing with Katana again?"

'Freaky mind thing…?' Six raised an eyebrow before shaking his head and standing up. "I have a hunch as to where we may find more creatures like Katana. I'd like to find out more."

Rex grinned. "Man, Six! It's getting to a point where I expect you to break the rules every other day. You'd better be careful before you lose your rep entirely." He rubbed his hands together deviously. "So, which ship should I hack?"

…

_Four more monsters disposed of!_ Indath's eyes flashed proudly. _I believe I may like it here._

L'ram affectionately stroked his bronze dragon's eyeridge. "You are quite the warrior, my friend." He murmured indulgently. "The people here may worship you as a deity."

Krya rolled her eyes and gave her mate a light punch in the shoulder. "Careful, L'ram. If his head gets any bigger, he may not be able to take off."

At that moment, Serenth let out a growl of warning. _Tornath says that there is a large flying machine approaching._

"Pass the message on to everyone else." Krya instructed before turning to L'ram. "We're going to have company very soon. What would you suggest?"

"Let them come." The Weyrleader went to mount Indath. "I do believe it is about time we meet the natives of this planet."

A tiny pop signaled the appearance of the gold fire-lizard, Stella. She perched on her friend's shoulder and stared intently at him for a moment before disappearing between once more.

L'ram raised an eyebrow. "She says that one of her clutch accompanies these people. Someone was able to Impress one, it would seem. That's very interesting…" He turned back to his fidgeting dragon. "Let's go meet them, Indath." The great bronze took to the sky, Serenth and Krya following close behind.

…

"Look, guys! There are two dragons flying right towards us!" Rex's eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "They're huge!"

Holiday stared out the window, a look of wonder on her face. "Beautiful…"

Six said nothing as he brought the ship down to land on a large outcropping of rock. On his shoulder, Katana chirped encouragingly. "You're sure they won't do us harm?" He whispered. The emerald creature bobbed her head vigorously.

Rex was the first to rush through the opening doors. He looked like a little kid that has seen a pony for the first time in his life. Six hurriedly fell into step beside him, Holiday close behind. By this time, the two gigantic beasts had landed. The larger of the two was as gold as a beam of sunlight reflected off of brass. The other was as bronze as a copper penny. A fair haired woman was dismounting from the gold dragon and a dark haired man was leaping from the bronze. Six immediately recognized him as the man who had been riding the dragon that had saved Rex the other day.

The man stretched out his hand toward Six. "I am L'ram, rider of Indath, Weyrleader of Benden Weyr, head of the Earth-bound dragonriders." 

Six took the outstretched hand and nodded politely. "I'm Six, an agent of Providence."

"Providence?" L'ram tilted his head. "Is that the leading organization on this planet?" He started as the lady beside him cleared her throat pointedly. "Ah…forgive me. He stepped back. "Weyrwoman Krya, rider of Serenth."

Six took her hand, secretly surprised at how formal these people were. "A pleasure."

"Likewise, Six." Krya withdrew her hand and bowed her head to Rex and Holiday. "Would you be so kind as to introduce your companions?"

Rex, of course, stepped forward first. "I'm Rex, Providence's top agent!"

Holiday gave Rex a dry look before introducing herself. "I'm Rebecca Holiday, Providence doctor."

"Doctor?" L'ram tilted his head. "Ah…so you're a Healer. Rayne will certainly want to speak with you. She's the Master Healer of our expedition."

"Excuse me." Six interjected. "But, what exactly is this expedition? Who are you and where do you come from?"

"Oh! Of course! Everything will be explained inside. Won't you join us for a meal? We can talk over some nice Benden wine."

"Very well."

"Alright! Indath can carry you and I. Serenth is surely willing to accommodate your companions. Come." L'ram beckoned before walking over to the bronze beast, who extended his foreleg toward Six. As Six climbed up, L'ram looked toward the tiny green fire-lizard that was fluttering around the man's head. "So it was you that Impressed one of Stella's clutch."

"Stella?" Six questioned as he positioned himself on the bronze dragon.

"My gold fire-lizard. I'm sure she's around here somewhere. Once we're inside, you can see her." He patted Indath on the side of the neck. "To the dining hall, please."

Rex barely kept from uttering a whoop of joy as the gold dragon took off from the ground. There was something about riding this creature that was entirely different from flying around on the Boogie Pack. He felt as if he could ride forever!

Holiday too was in complete awe. 'Amazing. Absolutely amazing.'

_Thank you._

Holiday blinked and looked around. 'What was that?' She could have sworn she had heard a voice, but it couldn't have been Krya. Her lips hadn't moved.

_I look forward to seeing more of you, Rebecca Holiday._

**What's with the expedition? Why can Holiday hear the dragons? All will be revealed! Just stay tuned! Please review. Reviews make the fire-lizards happy!**


	4. Chapter 4

**You would think that, when one of your favorite authors dies, you would feel a disturbance of some sort. I only just found out that Anne McCaffrey died on November 21, 2011. Words cannot describe how saddened I am. The world has lost a brilliant and creative mind that provided thousands with a world where dragons flew the skies and watch-whers guarded Keep and Hold. I was with Lessa when she first Impressed the gold Ramoth. I stood by Jaxom as he trained his white dragon, Ruth, to fight the deadly Thread. I followed Kindan on his journey from miner to wher-handler to Harper. I have traveled throughout the world of Pern, facing many dangers and meeting beautiful and diverse people, dragons, whers, and fire-lizards. For that, Anne McCaffrey, I thank you and will always remember you.**

**Todd McCaffrey, I have no doubts that you will continue your mother's legacy and keep Pern alive for many years to come. I offer my condolences to you and your family.**

**Rest In Peace, Anne McCaffrey. You will always be missed.**

"_**Oh, Tongue, give sound to joy and sing/Of hope and promise on dragonwing."**_** Anne McCaffrey**

The Providence agents were amazed at how well the dragonriders had managed to turn a system of tunnels and caves into a hospitable environment. The stone walls were warmed and lit by torches and a bunch of baskets that contained odd glowing items. One cave had been adapted into a small dining hall with a large wooden table. Various dishes were laid out along with flasks of wine.

Six bit into a piece of bread, not really tasting it. Next to his plate, Katana was busying herself with a few small bits of meat he had placed in front of her. His attention was fixed on the long-haired, blue-eyed face of L'ram, who was calmly stroking another tiny, dragon-like creature, obviously of the same species as Katana. He had called them "fire-lizards".

"Well." L'ram finally said, pushing his plate away and taking a sip of wine from his glass. "I hope the food is to your liking. This is Benden wine, you know. It's the best wine one can drink."

"It's quite good." Holiday spoke up after taking a sip of the red wine. It had a tart sweetness that was very unique and satisfying. "Now, you said that you were going to tell us about where you came from and why you are here."

"Of course." L'ram nodded. "Well, we all come from Pern, the third planet orbiting the star Rukbat. Our ancestors landed there many, many years ago as colonists from Earth."

"There's nothing about colonization on another planet in any of the history books." Six muttered, frowning in confusion.

Holiday shrugged. "Maybe it's a different Earth than this one. I've been reading about parallel universes and such. Perhaps there is another world where intergalactic colonization is possible."

L'ram listened with interest. "So, this is not the same Earth? That is very interesting..."

"So, why did you and your dragons leave Pern?" Holiday asked.

"Well, dragons were created to burn Thread. Thread is a silvery substance that used to fall from a galactic body known as the Red Star. It consumed all organic matter and could only be killed by water and fire. Dragons were used to flame the Thread before it could hit the ground and kill the land."

"Used to fall?"

"Yes. We were able to salvage an Artificial Intelligence system, known as AIVAS, which managed to give us instructions so that we could change the orbit of the Red Star so that it would no longer drop those deadly spores on us." L'ram folded his hands. "That, however, means that dragons are no longer needed on Pern. We survived by collecting tithes from the Holds that surrounded our Weyrs. Without Thread, we have had to make our own lives."

Krya nodded before stepping in. "Many have been able to make new lives. However, there are too many dragons to keep on Pern without relying on tithes. Therefore, we created a program of relocation to Earth. Over the next few days, more dragonriders will be migrating here. We also will be transporting some watch-whers and fire-lizards. It was our hope that we would be able to give ourselves a new purpose on this planet."

"When Indath and I made the first crossing, we ended up saving this young boy from a giant monster." L'ram nodded at Rex. "And we observed many more creatures attacking people. Therefore, it has been decided that the dragonriders will help the people of Earth combat these creatures and protect the homes and lands of those who would otherwise have to watch them fall."

Rex's eyes lit up. "Cool!"

Six frowned, his eyebrow twitching thoughtfully. "If you are going to join the fight against Evos, I'm going to have to put you in contact with Providence."

"Very well." L'ram smiled. "I look forward to coming to an understanding. I hope we can continue to inhabit these mountains. They are quite hospitable to the dragons, and we have found some grassy fields in which we can breed our herd beasts."

"That probably won't be a problem." Six said before starting slightly as Katana sent a wave of orange, indignant hunger into his mind. Obligingly, he cut a few more pieces of meat and placed them in front of her. She sent him a warm, blue-lavender wave of approval.

"Tell me..." L'ram said, looking at the tiny green creature. "Did anyone else Impress on one of Stella's clutch?"

"I only found one egg when I was outside." Rex spoke up. "I just thought it was a cool rock. There weren't any others."

"I see." L'ram's brows furrowed. "We'll have to see about finding safer places for the lizards to clutch, and the dragons when the time comes. Those eggs will need a constant heat source." He folded his hands. "Also, we're going to need to start Searching for Candidates to Impress the hatchlings."

"Here?" Rex's eyes lit up. "People on Earth can have their own dragons?"

"We don't _have_ dragons." Krya corrected, her eyes gently admonishing. "They are our partners and companions for life. The bond between a rider and a dragon is more sacred than any other. They are two halves of a whole."

Rex dropped his gaze. "Sorry."

Krya waved a dismissive hand. "You couldn't have known." She then turned to Holiday. "Rebecca, may I talk to you in private?"

Holiday blinked in surprise. "Of course." Feeling Rex and Six's gazes on her, she followed Krya out of the dining hall.

The two walked until they were outside, where the golden form of Serenth was curled up, her jewel-like eyes whirling blue and green. Close by, bronze Indath was dozing in the afternoon sun.

"Rebecca..." Krya placed a hand on Serenth's eyeridge. "Serenth has been talking to me since you came. She believes that you would be a good Candidate for the next queen's egg."

Holiday's green eyes grew wide. "A Candidate? Me?" She looked at Serenth. "What do you mean by 'queen's egg'?"

Krya fondly stroked her dragon's gold hide. "'Queen' is another name for a gold dragon. The women who are bonded to them are known as Weyrwomen and hold great responsibility and authority in the Weyr. The senior Weyrwoman acts as head of the Weyr. It is through her that a Weyrleader is decided."

"So, since you are with L'ram, you chose him?"

Krya chuckled. "No. When Serenth rose to mate, Indath won her. Therefore, L'ram became Weyrleader. However, my relationship with L'ram was definitely an important factor in the mating of our dragons."

"I see." Holiday was still gazing at Serenth.

What would it be like to be bonded with a dragon? The thought of flying through the sky, fighting Evos on the back of a beautiful golden beast was definitely appealing. And what would it be like to have a bond stronger than any other love or friendship? To be one half of a lifelong partnership?

Then, her thoughts went back to Rex and Six. Would she still be able to continue working with them if she took on the responsibilities of a Weyrwoman? If the bond between a rider and dragon was as strong as Krya's words implied, would Holiday still love the other people in her life or would her feelings lessen?

_It is a big decision, but you will not regret it._

Holiday turned questioningly toward Krya. Then, she realized that the Weyrwoman's lips hadn't moved. Also, the voice hadn't been spoken aloud, but in her mind.

Seeing her companion's confusion, Krya laughed. "Dragons sometimes choose to speak with others besides their riders. It means that they think very highly of that person."

Holiday's face flushed happily and she turned back toward the steady gaze of the gold dragon. "Thank you, Serenth. I'll consider it."

Serenth hurred cheerfully in response before putting her head down and closing her eyes.

"Now..." Krya said. "Why don't we go back in and prepare L'ram for his meeting with the leader of this 'Providence' organization?"

"White Knight." Holiday couldn't help but grimace. "L'ram will definitely need to prepare for that..."

**As a tribute to Ms. McCaffrey, I'm going to read through all of my Pern books. I'm also going to try and buy all of the ones that I still don't own. As a result, you'll be seeing more frequent updates on this story.**

"_**Worlds are lost or worlds are saved/From those dangers dragon-braved."**_** Anne McCaffrey**

**Fly high and peace out.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Great news: Todd McCaffrey's newest book, Sky Dragons, is coming out in June! The main character is Xhinna, so I'm very excited! I only recently started Dragonheart, but I love her already. The fact that she's a female blue-rider makes it even better. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

"And your dragons won't pose any danger to humans?" White's hands were folded and his pale face held an extremely skeptical expression.

L'ram took a deep breath, forcing himself to be patient with this man. 'How many times do I have to tell him?' "No dragon would ever harm a human. Ever." He folded his arms. "They are very tame by nature unless they have need to fight."

"How do I know that providing the resources necessary to keep these dragons will be profitable? We have agents who are fully capable of fighting and securing Evos."

_I don't believe that!_ Indath muttered as L'ram relayed the conversation to him. _I've seen those masked humans and their projectile weapons. They always miss._

'I know, Indath. Hush.' "Might I propose a trial period? We will be at your beck and call whenever these Evos surface. In return, I will only ask that you create a hot sand pit for the clutch that we will be transporting." After a survey of the planet, it had been decided that the recently-laid eggs of the queen Yarith would be safe. All that was needed was a hot, enclosed sand pit. "We will not bring over any new dragons until after you have decided. The wild animals here will be enough to feed the small number of dragons here and you will not need to provide anything."

_Why don't you offer him a fire-lizard?_

"And, if you are willing, you may have an egg from the next clutch of fire-lizards." L'ram held out his hands in a "How about it?" gesture. "Does that sound agreeable?"

White frowned quietly to himself, tapping the side of his neck thoughtfully with his finger. Finally, he spoke. "If I decide that this arrangement will not be profitable, you will not hold us to support your dragons?"

"If you ask, we'll go back to Pern once the hatchlings grow."

White nodded his head slowly. "Fine. I'll have a separate area built in the Zoo. We'll see what you dragonriders are capable of in the meantime."

"Thank you, sir." L'ram replied, bowing stiffly. "I hope you view our progress with satisfaction."

…...

Noah stared up at the large bronze dragon, his blue-gray eyes as wide as saucers. "You got to ride that?" He whispered, afraid to speak too loudly.

"Cool, right?" Rex grinned. "That's not even the best part! L'ram says that some of the Candidates to Impress on the next clutch of dragons will be chosen _here_!"

"Seriously?" Noah's face lit up. "You mean, we could get dragons?"

"Krya says that we don't 'get' dragons. They are more like partners, not pets." Rex looked at the sun glinting off of Indath's hide. "It would be cool to Impress a bronze. L'ram says that they have the highest rank besides the queens."

"I can see why. He's awesome!" Noah took a step toward Indath before hesitating. "Do you think he'll let me come closer?"

"He should." Rex looked at the bronze, who gazed back in an indulgent manner.

Tentatively, Noah approached the mighty creature. When Indath didn't protest, he rested a head on the warm, gleaming hide. A smile came to his face. "Hey." He muttered. His heart did a flip when the bronze let out a gentle hurr in response.

"Making a new friend, Indath?"

Noah and Rex looked up as L'ram walked over, his blue eyes gleaming. Noah quickly stepped back to let the bronze-rider stand by his dragon's brow.

"Don't worry. I won't bite." L'ram laughed as he walked over, giving Indath an affectionate pat. "Well Rex, you were right about White Knight. I haven't talked to such a stickler since I was a weyrling and was taking lessons from T'yat, probably the most boring teacher who ever lived."

"'L'ram', 'T'yat'..." Noah tilted his head. "Do all dragonriders have names like that?"

"You're intuitive, aren't you?" L'ram grinned. "Traditionally, male dragonriders shorten their names as a sign of their status. My name was originally Loram. However, I have a feeling that this tradition won't carry over here." He chuckled. "It would be hard to shorten a name like 'Rex' or 'Noah'."

Both Rex and Noah straightened up at the implication in L'ram's voice.

"Are you saying that we can try to Impress?" Rex asked hesitantly.

L'ram nodded his head. "I had an inkling the moment I saw you, Rex." He glanced at Noah. "I have only known you briefly, but Indath seems to approve of you. You both look like excellent Candidates and I've never been wrong before."

The boys' faces lit up like stars.

"When will the eggs hatch?"

"About a month, I'd say." L'ram then turned to Indath. "Indath, would you be so kind as to summon Nekoth?"

"Another dragon?" Noah was nearly bursting with excitement.

"Yes. White Knight wanted your head scientist, Doctor Salazar, to take a look at one of the dragons. Nekoth is one of the most docile dragons who made the crossing. He's perfect for a long examination, if C'ron is willing."

Rex exchanged a glance with Noah. "He'd better be. Once Caesar gets his hands on him, he'll be doing tests and talking science for the rest of eternity!"

…...

Breach let out a childish giggle as the swarm of tiny dragons swirled around her head. "Are my little favorites hungry?" She asked. Immediately, her mind was bombarded with excited bursts of red and gold.

Finding and taking those seven pretty stones by the Providence building was probably the luckiest split-second decision she had ever made. Soon after taking them, Breach's one place was filled with the sound of crackling shells. She had arrived just in time to see seven beautiful miniature dragons emerge from their eggs, all of them sending mental demands for food.

Immediately, she teleported a large hunk of meat to her one place. The little creatures, after ravenously devouring the meal, had attached themselves to her side and had been her companions since then. Soon after, Breach had realized that each of the little dragons had a mental attachment to her and could send colors, feelings, and pictures into her mind and visa versa.

Now, much to Van Kleiss's chagrin, she was never without the seven little hatchlings: gold-colored Honest, bronze Rex, brown Van and Kleiss, blue Still and Shine, and green Gleam.

As she knelt on the ground, a large amount of stolen meat from a random butcher's shop in hand, Van Kleiss quietly approached, an annoyed expression on his face.

"I hope that you intend to train these creatures, Breach. Otherwise, they'll be entirely useless."

"They listen to me." Breach insisted. "Also, they can go to different places quickly, like me."

This caused Van Kleiss to raise an eyebrow. "They can make portals?"

"No. They vanish and emerge from the Stillness." Breach fed a piece of meat to Honest. The gold creature cheeped happily.

"I see." The nearest little dragon, the green, looked up at him curiously. Frowning, he held out his hand. At a nod from Breach, Gleam flew over and perched on Van Kleiss's knuckle.

"They give me pictures. Pictures of bigger dragons." Breach continued, giving the squawking Van and Kleiss generous helpings of food. "The big dragons have people riding on them. They are very real."

"Bigger?" Now, _this_ was interesting. He eyed the tiny green reptile's sharp little teeth and leathery wings. "How much bigger?"

**Sky Dragons**** is likely the last book Anne McCaffrey was involved in... It'll hold a special place in my heart for sure. Peace out.**


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